The Days of the Week in Spanish: A Simple Guide for Learners & Travelers

 

Let's Unlock the Days of the Week in Spanish (Without the Boring Stuff)

So, you’ve decided to tackle the days of the week in Spanish. Maybe you’re prepping for a trip, helping a kid with homework, or just finally getting around to that Duolingo streak you’ve been dreaming of. And hey, I get it. On the surface, it seems like just memorizing a list.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned after a decade of speaking and teaching Spanish: nailing these seven little words is like getting the key to the city. Suddenly, you can make plans, understand when the mercado is open, and just feel… less lost. It’s a tiny victory that packs a huge confidence punch.

My goal here isn’t to be your professor. Think of me as your friend, Alex, who’s saved you a seat at the coffee shop to walk you through this. We’re going to make it simple, maybe even a little fun. Ready? ¡Vamos!

First, Let's Meet "Los Días de la Semana" (The Days of the Week)

Okay, let’s just dive right in. Here they are, the stars of the show. I’ll spell them out and give you a pronunciation guide that actually makes sense. Forget the perfect phonetic alphabet—let's keep it real.

• lunes (LOO-nes) - Monday - Think of a lazy, loony moon.
• martes (MAR-tes) - Tuesday - Like the marine corps, but with a soft ‘t’.
• miércoles (mee-AIR-coh-les) - Wednesday - This one’s a mouthful, I know. Just remember "me-air-coal-es" and you’ll get there.
• jueves (WHY-ves) - Thursday - The ‘j’ is that soft, breathy sound from the back of your throat, like you’re whispering.
• viernes (bee-AIR-nes) - Friday - Another one with that airy ‘v’ that’s almost a ‘b’.
• sábado (SAH-bah-doh) - Saturday - Nice and smooth, like a relaxing Saturday should be.
• domingo (doh-MEEN-goh) - Sunday - Stress that middle syllable!

Now, here’s a cool piece of trivia that always helped me remember them. Most of these days are named after… planets! Well, Roman gods, which became planets.

Lunes comes from Luna (the moon). Makes sense, right?

Martes is for Mars, the god of war.

Miércoles is for Mercury.

Jueves is for Jupiter.

Viernes is for Venus.

Then you get to the weekend. Sábado comes from the Hebrew Shabbat, the day of rest. And Domingo comes from the Latin for "the Lord's day." See? You’re not just learning vocabulary, you’re learning a bit of history.

Memory Tricks That Don't Feel Like Work

If you're trying to teach this to a kid—or, let's be honest, if your own brain is rebelling against pure memorization—you need a better strategy. Rote repetition is a surefire way to kill the joy.

My absolute favorite method? The Clapping Game. It’s so simple, but it works. Say the word and clap the syllables. "LU-NES" (clap, clap). "MAR-TES" (clap, clap). For "miércoles," you get three claps! It’s engaging, it’s physical, and it makes the rhythm of the word stick.

Another winner is a simple song. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just sing the days to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or even "The Addams Family" snap. The melody acts as a scaffold for your memory.

And for the visual learners, make a colorful chart. I did this with my niece. We wrote lunes in blue and drew a big moon next to it. For martes, we drew a little red planet. It creates a connection in your brain that’s so much stronger than just black text on a white page. Learning should feel like play, not a chore.

The Grammar Stuff Everyone Messes Up (At First)

Alright, let’s take a deep breath. We’re going to talk about grammar for a second. I know, I know. But this is the stuff that will take you from "person who knows the words" to "person who can actually use them correctly." It’s painless, I promise.

The Gender of Days

Here’s the key takeaway: all days of the week are masculine. Why? Because the word el día (the day) is masculine. So, all the days are part of that masculine club.

This means we use el (for a single day) and los (for repeated days).

Tengo una cita el lunes. (I have an appointment on Monday.)

No me gusta trabajar los viernes. (I don't like working on Fridays.)

See? Not so bad.

To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize?

This one is a dead giveaway for new learners. In English, we capitalize days. In Spanish? Nope. Never. Unless it’s at the very beginning of a sentence, it’s always lowercase.

Incorrect: Nos vemos el Sábado.

Correct: Nos vemos el sábado.

It feels weird at first, but you’ll get used to it. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference.

Using Your New Words in the Wild

This is where it all comes together. You’re not just learning for a test; you’re learning for life. So, what does this look like in a real conversation?

Let’s say you’re in Mexico City and you need to ask about a tour:

¿Qué día es hoy? (What day is it today?)

Hoy es miércoles. (Today is Wednesday.)

¿El museo abre el domingo? (Does the museum open on Sunday?)

Mi vuelo sale el jueves. (My flight leaves on Thursday.)

Here’s a pro tip I learned the hard way: To say "on Monday," you often just use el lunes. It’s beautifully simple. "I’ll see you on Monday" becomes Te veo el lunes. And if you do something every Monday? That’s los lunes. Como paella los lunes. (I eat paella on Mondays.)

A Little Cultural Flavor for the Weekend

I can’t talk about sábado and domingo without mentioning the vibe. In so many Spanish-speaking cultures, the weekend has a distinct rhythm. Sábado is for late nights, friends, and dancing. Domingo? That’s for family. It’s for the huge afternoon comida that stretches for hours, and then a long, quiet siesta. When you use these words, you’re tapping into that beautiful cultural heartbeat.

You've Got This!

Seriously, you do. You’ve just walked through everything you need to confidently know and use the days of the week in Spanish. You’ve got the pronunciation, the memory tricks, the sneaky grammar, and even a little cultural context.

That’s a solid win in my book.

The best part about learning a language is using it. So, what’s your first move? Gonna practice by writing out your weekly schedule? Teaching the clapping game to your kids? I’d love to hear what clicked for you. Drop a comment and let me know!